CFP: Iain (M.) Banks (2/28/06; collection)

Working title: Bridging fantasies: Critical responses to the writing of Iain(M.) Banks

Iain (M.) Banks is unquestionably an original, innovative writer whosework is marginalised and remains on the periphery of academic acceptance,failing to gain recognition from the contemporary canon. His oftenexperimental, avante-garde and cross-genre narratives are concernedprincipally, but not exclusively, with the contestation of identity, sexuality,and selfhood. Gavin Millar's successful and acclaimed adaptations of 'The CrowRoad' and 'Complicity' have made his work known to a larger audience. As ahigh-profile writer who appears regularly on television, Banks has a dedicatedfan base illustrated by the circulation of The Banksoniain, a publicationentirely given over to his writing and thinking. Possibly because of thedifficulty attached to categorising Banks' writing, compounded by his decisionto publish his science fiction writing under the name of Iain M. Banks, hiswork has been neglected. Under scrutiny these publishing distinctions seem tocollapse as Banks' use of fantasy is pervasive across his work. Moreover,characters and personality types also resurface causing anetwork of reflections throughout his work.

Possible topics include but are not limited to:* The Scottish writer* The fantastic* Theorising Banks* Redefining gender* Other worldliness* Screening Banks* Memory* The threat of incest* The Gothic and post-Gothic* The player of games* The avenging angel* Variable fictions